


Wedding Bells?

by PsychVamp



Series: Arya&Gendry Week 2019 [2]
Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Attempted Arranged Marriage, F/M, Fluff, Meeting the Parents, Secret Relationship, axgweek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-12
Updated: 2019-09-14
Packaged: 2020-08-19 23:30:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20218081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PsychVamp/pseuds/PsychVamp
Summary: Catelyn Stark thinks she has found a way to handle her wild child, but Arya has other plansFor Day 2 prompt: Marry me nowNow a three-shot because people asked for more, and the inspiration to continue came to me.





	1. Marry Me Now

“Marry me, now.” Arya Stark as she stormed her way into his apartment, no knocks or greetings, just a strange demand.

“Hello to you too.” He said simply, looking away from the TV to take her in. She looked angry and soaking wet. He turned to look at the window, he hadn’t even realized it had started raining.

“Did you even hear what I said?” She said in a huff, kicking her shoes off by the door she had slammed closed.

He nodded, “Why am I marrying you? I had not realized we were at that stage of our relationship.”

She let out disgruntled yell and walked to his bedroom. He didn’t bother to follow her, knowing she would be back out shortly.

She sat down with a sigh five minutes later, her wet hair was loose around her shoulders, and she was wearing one of his t-shirts and then the loose leggings she keeps at his place. After a few minutes of silence, the only sound the light sound of the rain and the lowered voices from the baseball game he’d been watching, she said, “My mother said she has arranged a marriage for me.”

He looked over at her at with wide eyes, “That is something people still do?”

She rolled her eyes, “It is something stupid nobility people do. I told her she can fuck off, but then I received this.” She opened up something on her phone and handed it to him.

It was an article from some paper he’d never heard of called the Winterfell Weekly Star:  _ Lady Arya Stark, the youngest daughter of Lord Eddard and Lady Catelyn, has spent the last 5 years away from home. She went to afamed university, Martinstown, in Storm’s End, and remained in the region after her graduation for a master’s program. As the loyal readers of the paper are aware, she has had a wild time in the southern city. Seen partying at all times of the year with many different men on her arm. (here were inserted obvious pap shots from over the years, and Gendry realized he was in the background of most of them, if not clearly visible right next to her) Reports from a person close to the wayward lady say she had dozens of romantic partners during her stay in the Stormlands, clearly that will hurt any potential marriage proposals from the proper nobility. We personally think she should pick one hair color and stick to it if she wants to attract the right kind of man for her station, not to mention it is also rumored she frequents a local tattoo shop. Is there more trouble on the horizon for the Stark clan? It wasn’t long ago that Sansa Stark had her own misfortunes in the area of a proper match, as well as the unlucky love lives of her older brothers. There was no comment from Winterfell castle when they were approached for question _ .

“Why do I care about what some stupid rag magazine has to say about you? Most of this isn’t even true. We don’t nearly party all the time anymore, and you weren’t on the arms of multiple men, only me, Hot Pie, or Lommy. If you’ve had dozens of romantic partners I, your best friend, somehow missed it. The hair color thing was once true, but you went back to natural over a year ago. As for the tattoo shop, well, that would be my fault.” He said and handed the phone back to her, “I don’t see what this has to do with your mom arranging a marriage for you?”

“She thinks all of this is true. So she said she found a ‘respectable young lord willing to look past my indiscretions.’” Arya replied, twisting her body so her back was to the armrest and her feet landed in his lap.

He just started rubbing her feet out of habit, “Your mother doesn’t believe you?”

“Nope.” She said, dragging out the ‘p’, and sighed again, “I know I put on a good show for the masses, but I assumed my family knew who I really was.”

“A brilliant young woman who has only slept with one man who she had been in a top secret relationship with for three years?” He said, his eyebrows raised in a teasing way he knew annoyed her.

She rolled her eyes, “Yes, yes all that. Anyway, to avoid this stupid marriage to Edric Dayne, we should go get married in the morning.”

“That seems a bit extreme, why don’t you just tell your mother the truth about us? She has to know I am a real person, I’m all over your social media and have met Jon and Sansa.” He asked, not that he was against marrying her, but he wanted it to be for the right reasons.

She sat up, pulling her feet under her and leaning towards him, “I did! She said something like, ‘I know Gendry is just a good friend Arya, don’t take me for a fool’. Then she went on about all the good things about Dayne until I eventually just hung up.”

Gendry picked up his phone and looked up Edric Dayne, he began reading aloud, “Edric Dayne, the future Lord of Starfall in the Dorinish marshes. Went to college at Water Gardens University, where he was a star fencing and swim champion. Works with many charities around the Seven Kingdoms. Considered a proper young lord.” Gendry read a bit more in silence before saying, “I don’t think this guy could handle you.”

“He can’t. I met him once a few years ago. We faced off in a fencing competition for the universities, I kicked his ass easily.” She said, her eyes drifting as she shifted again and laid her head on his shoulder, “We had this like get together thing afterwards, he was so polite and dull. I hadn’t even given him a second thought until my mother mentioned his name.”

He wrapped his arm around her, “Don’t worry, you won’t have to marry some stupid prissy Dornish lordling.”

She leaned back and looked up at him, “So we can get married tomorrow?”

He laughed, “I didn’t say that. Wait here a minute.” He kissed her on top of the head and disappeared into this bedroom, he didn’t take long, he knew exactly where the object was.

He returned to the living room, his hands behind his back, and he enjoyed her confusion at his actions, and the shock that filled her face when he knelled. He pulled his hands forward and revealed a black box, he opened it to show a simple princess cut diamond on a twisting white gold band, “Arya Stark, you are the smartest, most beautiful woman I know. I am hopelessly in love with you, and have been since we met. Will you marry me?”

She leaned forward and kissed him, her body pulling him back onto the couch. She rested her forehead against his when they pulled apart, “Of course I will marry you stupid, I asked first.”

He laughed and slipped the ring onto her finger, “Your’s doesn’t count, because you didn’t ask, you just kind of commanded, m’lady.”

“Here is another command then, take your fiance to bed.” She whispered in his ear, and she let out a yelp with a laugh as he picked her up and walked toward the bedroom.


	2. Welcome to the Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arya returns to Winterfell Castle, she has to introduce her new husband to her family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few commentators wanted to see Catelyn's reaction to Arya's choice to get married. This idea came to me, I hope you like it.

Arya was nervous as the castle finally came into view, the place that had been her home for the first 18 years of her life. She had been back a few times over the years, mostly just for holidays, but it wasn’t really her home anymore. No, that was with the man currently sitting beside her in the back of the car that had been sent to pick them up. His hand was firmly holding onto her own, and she turned it to look at the beautiful ring that was on her left hand, with a simple band next to it. A band that he had a matching one to on his own left hand. 

He turned as he felt her stare, “You okay?”

“I am worried about what they are going to say. Doing something like this was exactly the kind of thing they were trying to prevent by arranging the marriage to Dayne.” She said, her other hand starting to play with the hem of her jacket. 

“You never told me what your mom said when you told her I was coming with you.” He said, rubbing his thumb in little circles over the back of her hand.

Arya sighed and slumped further in the chair, “Something about how she was happy to finally be able to meet you, but she still didn’t believe we were in a relationship.”

He chuckled, “Won’t she be in for a shock when she sees this then.” He said and held up their joined hands, showing off her rings, “Did Sansa believe you when you told her?”

“She did, said she always thought something was going on between us other than friendship like I claimed. She assured me she will help with Mom.” 

“That is good. We will have one ally then at least.” He said, his eyes moving on the ever growing castle, “You really grew up in a legit castle.”

“Yeah.” She said with a sigh.

He looked over at her again, “Hey. I will be with you the whole time, unless I get lost in your family castle. Which I think is a legit possibility.”

She laughed, which she knew was his intention, “I’ll draw you a map.”

“Thank you m’lady.” He said, his blue eyes shining with affection.

The car pulled up to the front, Arya took a deep breath, “This is it. Last chance to back out.”

“That ship has long sailed love. Let’s get this party started.”

She nodded and got out of the door once the driver had opened it, “Thank you Harwin.”

“It is nice to have you home again Lady Arya.” He replied and went to get their bags.

She turned and grabbed Gendry’s hand, “Come on.”

They walked up the steps but before they could get to the door it opened to reveal Arya’s sister. Sansa smiled at them before taking Arya into a hug, “I am so happy you are here. Let me see the ring.”

Arya held up her hand, and Sansa grabbed it, looking at the ring closely.

She smiled up at Gendry, “Good work.”

He blushed, “Thanks.”

“Has mom said anything to you?” Arya asked as the went inside, shrugging off their coats to put in the closet.

Sansa sighed, “Yes. I tried to tell her that you and Gendry are really an item, but she just accused me of helping you get away with ‘your wild lifestyle’ and was disappointed in me.”

“Where are they?”

“In the family room waiting for you. Rickon is at football practice, so he won’t be a problem until later.” She told them, “Do you bring the marriage certificate?”

Arya nodded, “I figured the legal document would be good. Since she could just claimed we faked the pictures and rings.”

Sansa nodded, “I still wish you hadn’t eloped, I would have made you a beautiful dress, and I would have liked to have been there.”

“I know Sans, I’m sorry, but Mom was just being so crazy. I kind of freaked and demanded we do it right away. Plus, you know Mom would have just turned it into this crazy blowout wedding that I don’t want.” Arya explained as they walked, her breath catching as they got to the ajar door to the family room.

Sansa gave them a comforting smile before pushing the door open the rest of the way, “Look who made it safe and sound.”

Ned was standing by the fireplace, he turned and smiled at the both. He walked forward and pulled Arya into a hug, “So happy to have you home.” They pulled apart and he looked to her left, “You must be Gendry, I’ve heard so much about you.”

“You as well sir.” Gendry said, shaking the offered hand.

Catelyn embraced her daughter home, “It is so nice to see you in person.”

“You too mom.” Arya said.

Catelyn turned to him, “It is very nice to finally get to meet you Gendry.”

“Thank you ma’am.” He said, and his hand went to grab Arya’s. 

She gripped it tightly before letting go and holding up her hand to show the rings, “Gendry and I are married.”

Catelyn sighed and grabbed her hand, “This is a very lovely ring, but isn’t this going a bit far with this rouse?”

Arya huffed, trying not to scream, she took a deep breath, “Why will you not believe me? Sansa believed it without a second of hesitation! Gendry is a smart, handsome man, why wouldn’t I want to pursue a relationship with him? Because those stupid ass tabloids tried to make me out to be a wild party girl that had a different lover every night? I can assure you, those photos might be real, but the story with them is fake. I might have partied a lot in undergrad, that is true, but I can assure you, Gendry is the only man that has ever been my lover. He is also the only one that will ever be my lover, because we got married three days after you tried to sell me to Ned Dayne.” Arya then reached into her purse and pulled out the marriage certificate, “Here is the proof. Completely legal and with witnesses.”

Catelyn took the paper from her daughter and read it over carefully before looking up, “Why would you elope?”

Arya’s eyes went wide, “You wouldn’t even believe we were dating, and you’re asking why I decided to elope?”

Gendry wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

Ned watching all this unfold said, “Arya, Gendry, I am very happy for you both. Welcome to the family Gendry.”

“Thank you sir.” He replied, his voice displaying his shock.

“None of that. Ned will be fine, we are family now.” He said and placed a hand on his wife’s shoulder, “Cat?”

She forced a smile, “Yes, welcome to the family Gendry. I am just going to go get us all some tea.”

The four of them watched the older woman walk quickly from the room.

Ned sighed, “This is just a lot for her to take in, give her a few minutes to collect herself.”

“Maybe you should go check on her Dad.” Sansa said.

“I will.” He said, and kissed Arya on the top of the head, “I am truly happy for you.”

She smiled, “Thank you Dad.”

They watched him go, and then Sansa said, “Well, that went about how I expected.”

Gendry’s phone chose that moment to beep with a text, he read it quickly, “Oh shit.”

“What?” Arya asked.

His eyes were busy reading, “Hot Pie sent me a link. Seems our secret is out.” He handed her the phone, and Sansa peered over her shoulder.

Winterfell Weekly Star:  _ “Breaking News!!!! Arya Stark has returned to the North. There have rumors around for weeks that wayward daughter was returning home, it was said to be because of another rumor, one that would see Arya Stark marrying Edric Dayne of Starfall in Dorne. She was spotted at the airport earlier today, coming home at last, only, she wasn’t alone. And it wasn’t the handsome Dornish lord with her either. She was seen hand-in-hand, with a gorgeous tall and dark haired man. Sources were unable to name the mystery man, but it is clear they were an item, and, maybe more? We unable to get confirmation of this, but the photos taken of the couple, show gold bands on their left ring fingers. Did the wild she-wolf get married while she was down south? No word yet from Winterfell Castle, but we shall keep you updated on these developments, and if anyone knows Arya’s mystery man, don’t be afraid to let us know! (there were multiple photos of the two of them at the airport)” _

“Well shit.” Arya agreed and Sansa took the phone.

They were standing in silence, trying to come up with a plan for the press when Sansa said, “A lot of these commentators seem to think Gendry is a Baratheon. It is quite entertaining. Though, I will admit, you do look a lot like Renly when placed side by side.” She held up the comparison shot someone had made.

“You really do.” Arya said grabbing his phone from her sister, “Do you think you could be? You don’t know who your father is?”

He grabbed the phone and stuffed it is pocket, “I think my absent father is the least of our problems right now.”

The door opened, Ned and Cat walked in, the later carrying a tray of tea cups, “Okay, let’s all have a seat and chat about this like adults.”

The three younger adults did as they were bid, sitting on the sofa, while Ned took a chair and Cat remained standing. She took a deep breath, “Have any of you seen the Winterfell Weekly Star posted?” The all nodded, and she continued, “Good. What we are going to do is this. We are going to fetch all your brothers back to Winterfell, call some close friends, and put on a small, private wedding for you here at the castle. Then, we can leak those wedding photos to the press and not have to deal with explaining an elopement.”

“Why is the elopement such a problem?” Arya asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

Catelyn sighed, “Is it so wrong for me to want to throw you a wedding? To have all of our family and friends there to celebrate this with?”

Arya sunk a little into the couch, Sansa’s words from earlier echoing in her head, “No, it isn’t.”

“I promise it won’t be anything more than 25-30 people, depending on who brings dates or not. What do you think?”

Arya looked at Gendry, thinking about how this was the wedding he tried to get her to agree to before she insisted on the elopement, he was smiling at her gently, leaving the decision up to her. She looked back at her mother, “Okay, let’s do it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!!! I'm planning on doing one more chapter of this, the small little wedding Arya deserves. All the Starks shall be there, does anyone want to see them with certain people as their dates? Don't be afraid to share your thoughts!!


	3. Wedding Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wedding at Winterfell Castle

Arya had originally only agreed to the wedding to make her mother happy, a way to get Catelyn to accept that Gendry was her husband once and for all. A way to save the family the ‘embarrassment’ of an elopement, even if she didn’t understand how it was a problem. It also made Sansa happy, she already had a dress in mind to make her, and she figured if designers could make a dress in three days on that reality show, she could so it in two weeks. Arya had complete faith in her sister’s abilities. Gendry’s needs were much easier, her father took him into a shop in town and had him custom fitted for a suit. 

They had invited their friends up, if they could get out of work, and of course paid for their plane tickets. Only Hot Pie and Willow were able to make it, but the others had celebrated for the first wedding, so they weren’t really missing it. Her father invited a few of his friends and her mother some of her’s, they needed the nobility for validity. Arya allowed them to invite whoever they wished, as long as there wasn’t more than 30 people in attendance, not counting the family members. 

She was mostly looking forward to seeing her siblings. In the last three years she had only seen Jon and Sansa in person, the rest she only communicated through texts and the occasional phone call. Jon arrived first, coming down from his research station at the Wall, he brought with him a beautiful red-head who he worked with named Ygritte. Arya had been surprised at his choice in girlfriend, he usually went for blondes, but Arya soon learned that Ygritte was just as wild as her hair, and was glad Jon had found someone he could be himself around. Robb had been spending the last few years traveling the world for public relations but he came home for his sister’s wedding, and he brought with him a marvelous woman from Volantis, named Talisa, and she fit in perfectly with her mother’s idea of a perfect woman for her first born. Bran came back from his university alone, but Arya was certain he would be spending his time with the Reed siblings as he always did, so wasn’t worried he’d be lonely at the celebration. Rickon still lived at home, he wasn’t old enough to leave just yet, but he had asked if he could invite a few friends, and Arya had agreed. When she had approached Sansa on the subject of a date for the wedding, her sister had replied that she had much too much to do to worry about finding a date. Sansa’s previous attempts at a relationship had not ended well, so Arya wasn’t completely surprised that Sansa was currently single. She just hoped that one day that would change and she would find someone who made her as happy as Gendry did for herself.

* * *

Gendry’s arm was wrapped around her as they walked up to their room, “I am glad your mother finally agreed to let us share the room tonight. We are already married, I really don’t think us spending the night together will bring us bad luck.”

She shook her head, “Somethings she is traditional about. I think I am going to hold to the one where you can’t see me in the dress until the ceremony though, just for fun.”

“It will be like six hours at most, I think I’ll survive. I make it through 5 whole work days a week without seeing you for 8 hours.” He teased, “They are quite tortuous though.”

She turned in his arms, “I would think so. Anytime without me is a horrible time indeed.”

He laughed as he pulled her tighter, “I’m married to such a humble woman.”

“Yep, you are very lucky.” She said nonchalantly.

“Yes, I am.” His tone was much more serious as he leaned down to kiss her.

“Hey! You have a room for that.” A voice interrupted them and they turned to look down the hall as Jon walked toward them.

Arya rolled her eyes before looking at her brother, “I don’t remember asking for your opinion.”

Jon just laughed, “Maybe you should have. I would have told you to just confess to Mom from the beginning that you’d been dating Gendry.”

“You had no idea we were dating when you came to visit last year.” 

He shifted nervously, “I might have suspected.”

Gendry laughed this time, “No you didn’t. When we went out for drinks and you asked if she was dating Hot Pie because she laughed at something he said and touched his arm.”

Arya’s eyes widened, “You did not?”

“I….I...ummm.”

Ygritte appeared from behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder, “As I keep telling you darling, you know nothing.”

“You should keep this one, I like her.” Arya said before grabbing her husband’s hand and disappearing into their room.

Gendry laughed as he walked further into the room, “You’re brother is so unobservant for someone who gets paid to observe things.”

“He is just so clueless when it comes to people. Good thing his research is about the animals north of the Wall, not its people.” She replied, starting to remove the layers of clothes she was wearing. She’d spent so long in the south that she had grown unaccustomed to the cold.

“I hope he was joking about sending us a direwolf for a new pet.”

“That would be so cool though!”

Gendry rolled his eyes, “Yes, let’s have a wolf that can get to the size of a small horse and keep it in our small apartment.”

Arya smirked at him, “Just means we’ll have to get a house.”

He walks up to her and places his hands on her hips, “First you demand I marry you, now you want a giant wolf and a house. I am not sure how much I thought this relationship through.”

She shook her head, “I believe you were the one with a ring at the ready, I just beat you to the punch.” She wrapped her hands around his waist, “You are stuck with me forever now Waters. I might be willing to concede to a more normal size dog.”

He laughed and pulled her closer, kissing the top of her head, “Glad you are willing to compromise. Let’s get through tomorrow though before picking out realtors or shelters.”

She pushed away from him, “Always so practical. Knew I married you for a reason.”

He removed his pants and sweater, leaving him in just his boxers and undershirt, “Tomorrow you get to declare all those reasons for the world, the Winterfell Weekly Star will make sure of that.”

Arya sighed as she started changing into her pjs, “I still can’t believe my mother actually invited a reporter from that stupid rag to come to the wedding.”

Gendry crawled into the bed, “Only way to stop the speculation once and for all I guess.”

She shook her head and then curled up next to him, “They say one negative thing about us and they will regret ever once mentioning my name.”

“I am sure they are quaking in their boots just thinking about.”

“Gods I hate you.”

He chuckled at pulled her closer, “Tomorrow is just a formality, you are already stuck with me until death do us part.”

* * *

Arya liked to think she was mature enough to admit when she was wrong, and as she sat at the high table, watching her husband dance with her sister, she knew this was what the first wedding should have been. She saw her older brother’s dancing with their girlfriends, both of them looking gorgeous in some of Sansa’s designs. Bran was sitting at table between the Reed siblings, the trio looking locked in a heated discussion. Rickon was hiding at a corner table, his plate piled with the variety of sweets that had been made available, with a few of his friends around him, their plates similarly piled. She hoped they had least left some for the other guests as well. 

She saw movement from the corner of her eyes and turned to her left as her mother sat down next to her.

“You look so beautiful today my dear.” Cat said, not for the first time.

Arya looked down at the snow white dress she wore. A simple little white satin dress with a sheer organza overlay, with bead work along the neckline, at the hem of the ¾ sleeves, and radiating up from the hem that reached mid calf. It was the perfect dress, “Sansa really did find her calling.”

“Arya. I need to apologize…”

“No, Mom, you already…”

Cat held up her hand, “I need to say this. I am sorry for not believing you when you told me the truth about you and Gendry. I think I was just so willing to believe everything that stupid magazine was saying because of everything that happened with your Aunt Lysa. I shouldn’t have taken their word over yours. I’m sorry.”

Arya smiled at her mother, “As long as you believe me now, that is all that really matters.”

“I do believe you, and he seems like a wonderful man. I am happy for you.”

“He is very wonderful. I am lucky.” She replied, her eyes scanning back to the dance floor, to see her husband now dancing with newest redhead to join their family.

Catelyn leaned over and hugged her daughter, “You both will come visit more often right? I don’t want to go years without seeing you in person again.”

Arya returned the hug, “Gendry wants to see what everything looks like without snow, we’ll be back over the summer, I promise.”

“That is all I want.” Catelyn said, her eyes moving to scan the crowd when she noticed a woman walking toward them, “Here comes Olenna Tyrell.”

Arya smiled at the elder woman when she got to them, “Thank you for coming Tyrell.”

“I wanted to see that man that could tie down such a wild child as yourself.” She replied and then pointed to the man in questions, “If he doesn’t have some Baratheon blood in him, I’d hand over my jewels.”

Arya laughed, “Afraid I don’t know Lady Olenna. Gendry is an orphan, he doesn’t know who his father is.”

“I’d do a DNA test then. Get some of the fortune.”

“Isn’t your grandson involved with Renly Baratheon?” Catelyn asked, she wasn’t expecting this conversation at all.

“He is, but doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enjoy the spoils too my dear.” She replied and smiled at her, “In any case, you look lovely my dear and congraulations.”

“Thank you.” Arya responded as the woman walked away.

Catelyn waited until no one was in earshot, “He really does look like…”

“Mother.” Arya interrupted, “Gendry doesn’t need to be anyone other than who is. If, at some point, he wants to find his father, then I will support him, but let us leave it alone for now.”

“Of course.”

Arya got to her feet, “Thank you. Now, if you’ll excuse me. I would like to get in a few dances with my husband.”

* * *

_ Marriage at Winterfell Castle!! _

_ Lady Arya Stark got married this Saturday at her family home of Winterfell castle. She married a mechanic and part time tattoo artist Gendry Waters, originally from King’s Landing but now resident of Storm’s End. (photo of the couple) According to speeches given at the wedding, the couple have been together for three years. The bride wore a beautiful gown designed by her accomplished older sister. (photo of the bride) Both Robb and Jon Stark arrived at the wedding with women on their arms, but the nature of those relationships were not discovered. (many photos of the guests) Does this mean that the relationship troubles of the Stark clan are finally at an end? Will we be hearing more wedding bells ringing from the tower of Winterfell soon? Does the quickness of this wedding mean that we could be getting a birthing announcement soon? Who really is Gendry Waters, see the photo of him talking with Robert Baratheon, does he not look like a clone? For all the questions answered at the tasteful small wedding of the youngest Stark daughter, there are even more answers to still uncover. Stay turned!!  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's all folks, thanks for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!! Hope you liked it! Stay tuned for the rest of the week.


End file.
